Device for sharpening cutlery



Patented Aug. 12, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR SHARPENINGCUTLERY William -E. Fleming, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application April 11,1947, Serial No. 740,887

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to devices for sharpening cutlery andparticularly to a device of this character having means for renewing theabrasive surface as it becomes worn or clogged.

A number of devices for sharpening cutlery and adapted to employreplaceable abrasive sheets, have been proposed in the past. Some ofthese devices have, however, been objectionable because of thedifficulty of replacing the abrasive sheet or keeping it taut. Othershave been relatively complicated or expensive to manufacture.

It is, therefore, a primary object of my invention to provide a new andimproved device for sharpening cutlery such as butcher knives and thelike.

Another primary object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthis character adapted to employ a renewable strip of abrasive materialwhich maybe quickly and easily changed to present a new abrasivesurface.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of thisnature which may be manufactured at low cost with a minimum ofequipment.

Still another important object of 'my invention is theprovisicn, in sucha device, of a simple and improved means for clamping and holding theabrasive strip taut.

Other and further features and objects of my invention will be moreapparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of theaccompanying drawing and following specification, wherein are disclosedexemplar embodiments of the invention, with the understanding, however,that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Inthe drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a cutlery sharpening deviceconstructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal view, in section, of the device of Figure 1,the section being taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a view in top elevation of the sharpening device illustratedin Figure 1, and

Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of my invention and is a view invertical section taken longitudinally through the device.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figure 1 thereof; adevice, constructed in accordance with my invention, for sharpeningbutcher knives and like forms of cutlery consists generally of a basemember LI sup-porting a roll of abrasive fabric l2 adjacent one end .2thereof, a top member I3 hingedly connected to the base at one end .asindicated at 14 and a clamping member, indicated generally at l5 andadapted :to cooperate with the hinge M to clamp the top'membersecurelyto the base.

I have found the most practical width for the abrasive fabric to beapproximately one and one-half to two inches, and the portion 24 of thisabrasive strip which constitutes the actual working. surface lies flatalong the upper surface of the top member I3. Portions of the abrasivestrip adjacent each end of the Workin surface 24 pass -dow nward1ythrough slots in the top member and outwardly between adjacent surfacesof the top and base members which, when secured together by {theclamping member [5, serve to bind the abrasive strip securely inposition,

The base member H is preferably a generally rectangular block of anysuitable material such as hard wood, molded plastic or the like, andsecuredto the sides thereof, adjacent one end, are a pair of generally Lshaped brackets H of sheet metal or other suitable material. Thesebrackets are secured to the sides of the base member by-means of woodscrews 18 and the upper 'ends 'of the brackets are 'apertured to receivea pair of machine screws 19, These screws are threadedly received *inholes tapped into the ends of a spindle 20, which member serves tosupport the roll of abrasive fabric l2. In the device illustrated, theabrasive material which may "be emery or carborundum or the like on acloth back-ingis provided in rolled form with the abrasive surfaceon'the inside.

The top member l3, which is preferably connected to the base atone endby means of the hinge M and screws 21, is generally the same rectangularshap and size as the base ll. Two transverse slots '22 and 23 areprovided adjacent the hinged end of this top member, the abrasive strip16 passing downwardly through the slot 2 2, then upwardly through theslot 23, The strip-extends over the major portion of the upper surfaceof the top member to provide the sharpening surface 24 and its free endextends downwardly through a third transverse slot 25 and outward-1ybetween the adjoining "surfaces of the top and base members.

Since the portions 26 and 27 of the abrasive strip lie between the basand top members, it will be apparent that these portions and, therefore,the sharpening portion 24 of the strip will be firmly secured inposition when'the clamping member I5 is tightened.

The top member 13 is, for convenience in manufacture, composed of anumber of smaller blocklike portions, all secured together by screws 28,but all cut from a single block of material after the holes 29, for theassembling screws, have been drilled. The side rails 30 are firstremoved by sawing from the parent block after which the transverse slotsare sawed. Th central portion of each side rail is removed to facilitatesharpening the blade of a knife entirely up to its handle, The centralportions of the top member lying between the side rails are of slightlygreater width than the strip 24 to permit the strip to pass freelythrough the slots 22, 23 and 25 after assembly.

The clamping member l5 may be of any type desired, but the clamp shownis so constructed as to secure the base and top members together with awedging action. I

This clamp may be similar to the locks used on double-hung window sashand includes a lower member 3| secured to the end of the base by woodscrews and an upper member '32 secured in a similar manner by woodscrews, to the end of the top member [3. The bottom member 3| has andconsists of a knurled nut 48 threadedly received on a stud 49. This studextends through an opening 50 in the top Wall of the base member and isthreaded tightly into an opening [in the boss 5| which is formed as apart of the top casta The lower edges of the transverse ribs or Walls 52of the top member are preferably serrated to afford amore positive gripupon the portions .46 and 4? of the abrasive strip when the clampingmember 45 is tightened.

The devices which I hav herein disclosed are well adapted to serve theirpurpose. Cutlery, such as butcher knives and the like, which sometimesrequire frequent resharpening, may be quickly given a keen cutting edgewith only a few strokes over the abrasive surface of my sharpeningdevice. The abrasive strip will, however,

7 serve as an efficient sharpening tool for only a an embossed orenlarged portion having an in- 7 members to be slightly separated andthe portion 21 of the abrasive strip'to be grasped and pulled outwardlyso as to draw'a fresh sharpening surface into position at 24. 'Theprojecting portion of the strip is torn oil to permit the handle 34 tobe turned into locking position.

The various parts of the top member [3, when constructed of wood, may besecured together by means of glue instead of being screwed togetherasshown. i

In the modified form of my invention, illustrated in Figure 4, the baseand top members 35 and 36 respectively, are thin walled castings ofmetal or mouldings of plastic or the like. The

top surface of the top member 36 is slotted trans versely a shortdistance from each end, as indicated at 3! and 38, to permit theabrasive strip 39 from the roll 43 to be passed between the base and topmember, then upwardly through the slot 31, across the upper surface ofthe top member to provide the sharpening surface 4|, and then downwardlythrough the slot 38 and outwardly between the adjoining surfaces of thebaseand topmembers, a T

The roll of abrasive fabric 40 is supported upon a spindle 42 between apair of brackets 43in the same manner as described in connection withFigures 1 to 3. The brackets 43 are secured'to the side walls of thebasemember 35 by means of the bolts and nuts 44. It Will be noted that theportions 43a of the brackets 43 extend upwardly beyond the top surfaceof the base and serve as guidesto align the top and base mem- :bers atthat end. 7 I

Anotheraligning means is provided-by the clamping member 45 which memberalso serves 7 ito-clamp the base and top together to thus bind theportions 46'and 41 of the abrasive striptherebetween. This clampingmember a is preferably positioned midway between thegends of the baseshort time. When the abrasive becomes worn off or clogged 'with metalparticles, the cutting surface mustbe renewed and, witha device embodyinmy inventive idea, this may be accomplished with great ease. Only asingle clamping member need be loosened to permit a new abrasive surfaceto be pulled into position, and no parts need be removed. The device issimple and inexpensive both to produce andto use. Y

Although I have shown and describedspecifi embodiments, it will beapparent that modifications of my invention may be made by those skilledin the art. Such modifications maybe made without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims. wg I claim as my invention: 7

1. In a sharpening device of the character described, a base member, atop member having. a plurality of slotsextending therethrough" adja,-cent the ends thereof, an abrasive strip extending over the portion ofthe top memberbetween said slots, the ends of the said abrasive strippassing downwardly throughthe said slots and between the adjacentsurfaces of said base and top members, means forhingedly connecting thesaid base and top members together at one end, and means, adjacent the opposite end. thereof, for clamping said members together.

2. In a sharpening device, a generally flatbas'e, V

' adjacent surfaces of the's'aid topand base members, and means securingtogether the top memher and base so as to bind portions of the; abrasivestrip therebetween.

'3. In asharpening device, a fiat rectangular base, a generallyrectangular top member having atransverse slot adjacent each endthereofl'an abrasive strip extending over the upper surface of the topmember, down through the. Said slots and outwardly betweenadjacentsurfaces of the baseand top member, and 'means detachably'clamping together, the said base and ,top members to thereby bind theabrasive strip iniposi ,tion, V 1 4. In a sharpening device, a base,a'roll of abrasive material, means forsupporting' the'roll V adjacentone end'of thebasega top memberjdis f posed above the basev and havingtransverseslots adjacent each end; the abrasive material passing 7 fromthe roll,upwardlythrough one offsaidslo ts,

5' over the top surface of the top member, downwardly through another ofsaid slots and outwardly between adjacent surfaces of the base and topmember, and means clamping said base and top members together.

5. In a cutlery sharpening device, a, base member, a top member havingtwo transverse slots adjacent one end thereof, a third slot adjacent theother end thereof, means hingedly connecting together the top and basemembers at the said one end, a strip of abrasive fabric passingdownwardly through one and upwardly through the second of the said twoslots, lengthwise over the upper surface of the top member, downwardlythrough the said third slot and outwardly between the adjacent surfacesof the top and base members, and means, spaced from the hingedconnecting means, detachably securing together the said top and basemembers.

6. In a cutlery sharpening device, a base member, a top member havingtransverse slots therethrough adjacent opposite ends thereof, a strip ofabrasive fabric extending over the top surface of the top member withthe ends thereof passing downwardly through said slots and outwardlybetween adjacent surfaces of the top and base members, means forclamping the top member against the top surface of the base to bind thesaid ends of the abrasive strip therebetween, and means, spaced fromsaid clamping means, for aligning the said top and base members.

WILLIAM E. FLEMING.

